In the Kitchen: Apple Parmesan Salad

These days almost all my time is spent caring for Baby Z and sleeping. This means I have no time for intricate meals, but that doesn't mean my food shouldn't be tasty. In comes this delicious recipe partially concocted by my mom. It's healthy and soooooo good. Here's what you'll need to create it:

• Spinach
• Diced granny apple marinated in red wine vinaigrette dressing for at least 2 hours
• Shredded parmesan cheese
• Red wine vinaigrette dressing (if this is a little tart add a little extra sugar and some grenadine syrup to it)

Enjoy!

Sale Alert & Free Stuff!

Hello fellow Baltimoreans. I thought I'd share a few sales and upcoming free things with you. This weekend TOTSWAP a children's consignment pop-up shop is in Timonium at the state fair grounds. They have good deals on baby and kids clothing, as well as baby equipment. Also, This month BGE is hosting FREE FALL BALTIMORE. A month long event featuring FREE entertainment for both adults and kids (I'm kinda late posting about this sorry). Lastly, next weekend with be the first annual VEGAN SOUL FESTIVAL, sponsored by local restaurant LAND OF KUSH. The event will feature free food and admission, as well as healthy eating cooking classes. Have a lovely weekend folks!

Around Town: David's on the Avenue

DAVID'S ON THE AVENUE is a consignment shop that represents quintessential Baltimore. It's charming, a little quirky, affordable, and filled with several hidden gems. The furniture selection ranges in era greatly. They have everything from Victorian to Mid-century Modern. I think they're a great place to look if you're hunting for a strong statement piece that won't break the budget. Don't let the shabby outside of the building fool you. This place is definitely worth going into......again and again.

 

 

A Letter to Baby Z (#1)

Dear Baby Z,

Thank you for putting up with us while we forced you to play dress up and take a million pictures the other day. We know you are a person and not a doll, and that you probably had better things to do that day, like lay on mommy's chest. From the looks of a few of your pictures you did not have the greatest time during our little photo shoot. We apologize for putting you through it, it's just that grandparents and other loved ones are suckers for this sort of thing and we hope to appease them from time to time. We promise we won't let it happen too often. We love you, even if you may have felt like we didn't as we forced your little body into this outfit. Please forgive us.

Love,

Mum and Dad

Craftsman Bungalows

(photo: Bungalow in Baltimore's Lake Walker neighborhood)

If you can't already tell I'm a huge fan of craftsman style bungalows. Craftsman homes were primarily built from 1905 to 1930, making many of today's bungalows at least 100 years old. This style of house grew out of the broader Arts and Crafts Movement, an attempt by artisans to bring simplicity and design integrity back into the mainstream. The movement rejected prevailing trends of the day that centered around heavy ornateness and mass produced cheaply made homes. It emphasized the importance of structural integrity, beauty, function, and making things by hand.

Here in Baltimore there are multiple neighborhoods that feature craftsman homes, Lake Walker of course being one of them.

Across the nation we are seeing a resurgence in the popularity of these homes amongst many buyers who value quality over quantity. Though typically much smaller than newly built suburban homes, craftsman bungalows offer a level of workmanship uncommon in the new homes of today. Because of this, many homeowners and developers are purchasing and restoring these older homes.

Figuring out how to improve a historic property, while keeping its integrity and character can sometimes be difficult. So I’ve decided to write a series about how to best do this, and where you can find helpful resources. For those of you who have an interest in restoring bungalows, stay tuned for more!

"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort." ~John Ruskin

The Greatest Push Gift in the World!

Introducing.......Baby Z. Isn't she lovely :-)

"I thank you for choosin' me to come through unto life to be, a beautiful reflection of his grace. See I know that a gift so great is only one God could create and I'm reminded every time I see your face, that the joy of my world is in Zion." ~Lauryn Hill

Nesting...

We are about a week away from our due date, and boy are we excited! I can't wait to meet the little person living inside of me. But first I must clean and organize my entire house. It appears I have entered the nesting phase, and hardcore, much to the dismay of the hubs. He is perplexed as to why I've waited until the last minute to give him an immediate to-do list of 87 tasks. I can't fully explain it, all I know is we must clean, and clean like we've never cleaned before. The urge to get everything perfectly ready for the baby has been so strong I can hardly sleep lately. I wake up in the middle of the night and start cleaning.

This crazy little phase I'm going through does have its pluses, most obviously that our home will be as my mother would say, "spick and span". Its also showed me how much unnecessary stuff we've been harboring, and how a thorough de-cluttering can create serious amounts of room in our home. I've been FREECYCLING our unneeded stuff like a mad woman. I've also eliminated all toxic cleaners from our home, instead opting to make homemade organic ones. I'll share all the great recipes I've been using shortly. I've gotta run.....off to clean!

Around Town: Tooloulou

Locals I've got some good news. There's a new scrumptious eatery in town, called TOOLOULOU. They've only been open a few weeks. I happened upon it on my latest visit to BELVEDERE SQUARE. The quality of the food is seriously out of this world. I had the oyster po'boy, and it was amazing. They have a creative menu specializing in artisan pizzas and southern style subs. You can get your food to-go, though I suggest eating there for the best experience. They offer brunch, lunch, and dinner. Portion sizes are a little large so come with an empty stomach. It's a nice place to take the kids.

DIY: Organic Facial Scrub

I've had the pleasure of having a facial at one of the finest spas in the world, but let me tell you,  NOTHING and I do mean nothing, beats the simple facial scrub recipe I am about to give you. I'm serious folks....you can thank me later after you try it. It'll leave your skin glowing and feeling silky smooth. As added bonuses the mixture is easy to make, cheap, and organic. So here's what you need to do to make a small batch:

• Mix 1 tbsp of melted coconut oil with 2 tbsps of pink himalayan sea salt (I get this at Homegoods)

Yep, that's it. After applying it to your face and lips rinse with warm water and wipe clean with a dry towel. Sea salt is rather abrasive, so only exfoliate up to once a week. Now go pamper yourselves!

The Word No One Wants to Hear...Cancer

Today I want you all to be a little kinder, live in the moment, hug your special someones extra tight, and remember to say I love you. I want you to do this because life is precious and often too short. Sometimes we don't think about this reality until bad news hits.

Thoughts of the fragility of life have been heavy on my mind ever since learning a friend of mine was recently diagnosed with cancer. My heart aches for her, as I can only imagine how frightening this must be for her and her spouse, and the difficulty of having to explain this situation to her young child. To top everything off she and her husband are having difficulty paying their medical bills, adding more stress to an already stressful situation. If you feel inclined to help, you may donate to her family HERE. It would truly mean the world to me. Thanks.

"We must live each day like it's the last."~Michael Jackson